Congress runs into 'Republican Revolution' Nov. 8, 1994

On this day in 1994, the Republicans won control of both houses of Congress for the first time in 40 years.

The newly empowered GOP united under the “Contract with America,” a 10-point legislative plan to cut federal taxes, balance the budget and dismantle a host of welfare programs enacted and expanded during the decades of Democratic rule.

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The Republicans named Rep. Newt Gingrich of Georgia as speaker, replacing Rep. Tom Foley of Washington, one of the incumbents defeated in the 54-seat swing from Democrats to Republicans.

Within the first 100 days of the 104th Congress, the Gingrich-led House enacted every bill cited in the Contract with America, except a proposed constitutional amendment mandating term limits for members of Congress.

In furthering what the press quickly dubbed the “Republican Revolution,” Gingrich and his newly emboldened conservative allies capitalized on the perception that the House Democratic leadership had engaged in corrupt practices, as well as on broad dissatisfaction among independent voters with the policies of President Bill Clinton.

No Republican incumbent lost in the midterm election.

Foley became the first speaker to fail to win reelection since the Civil War. Other major upsets included the defeat of such powerful long-serving representatives as Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dan Rostenkowski (D-Ill.) and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jack Brooks (D-Texas).

In all, 34 incumbent Democrats were defeated, although several of them, including Reps. David Price (N.C.), Ted Strickland (Ohio) and Jay Inslee (Wash.), regained seats in subsequent contests.

Evangelicals played a major role in the massive swing toward the Republicans. One national poll showed 27 percent of all voters identified themselves as a born-again or evangelical Christian, compared with 18 percent in 1988.

GOP House candidates outpolled Democrats among white evangelicals by 76 to 24 percent.